End constructions for toy cars



Nov. 20, 1956 M. ZION 2,770,917

END CONSTRUCTIONS FOR 'rov CARS Filed Oct. 26 195:5

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l NVENTOR 4/0555 Z/0/v I; BY $34M ATTO R N EY Nov. 20, 1956 'M. ZION END CONSTRUCTIONS FOR TOY CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 26, 1953 N Y 00 E WZMW M %w 5 A M% United States Patent END CONSTRUCTIONS FOR TOY CARS Moses Zion, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to The Lionel gorgoration, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Application October 26, 1953, Serial No. 388,326

7 Claims. (Cl. 46-218) The present invention relates to end constructions for toy cars and is more particularly directed toward end constructions suitable for use with streamlined toy cars.

Streamlined toy cars employ a length of extruded metal forming the sides and roof of the car body. The extruded body carries a floor plate to which is secured the trucks and couplers. As the ends of the car body are open it is necessary to provide suitable closures to simulate the closures or ends of full size railway cars. Such cars employ vestibuled closures when the passengers are to enter or leave the car and, where passengers merely pass from one car to the next, have similar ends, without side doors.

The present invention contemplates closure members for the toy cars which in appearance generally simulate the corresponding counterpart of the full-sized car. These end members are preferably made of thermoplastic moldings shaped to closely simulate the full sized parts and lacquered to look like the metal extrusion. Where there is tobe vestibule the end construction is such that the extruded body part is cut away to form side doorways and a single unit forms the side door simulating parts as well as the car end and the vestibule door simulating parts. Where there is to be no vestibule the unit is in the form of a fiat plate which fits across the end of the body. The means for securing the plastic end parts to the metal body and car platform are, as here shown, alike.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one embodiment in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toy car utilizing both end constructions;

Figure 2 is an exploded view at a larger scale showing the ends separated from the body of the car;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view with parts in section along the lines 33 of Figures 4, and 6;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3, showing an end construction suitable for the end of the car having no vestibule, parts being broken away;

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3 to show an inside view of an end construction suitable for vestibule cars, parts being broken away;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the end construction of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figures 4, 5 and 6, illustrating the means for securing the top of the end plate to the top of the body extrusion;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figures 4, S, 6 and 10, illustrating the means for securing the lower part of the end plate to the fl'cor plate; and

2,770,917 Patented Nov. 20, 1956 Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 10-10 of Figures 3, 5 and 9.

The toy car generaly indicated at C in the drawings has a body 10 made from a suitable length of inverted channel-shaped extrusion. This extrusion has a domed roof portion 11 and side wall portions 12, 12. The side wall portions have ribs 13, 13 adapted to receive window insert strips 14 and slots 15 adapted to receive a floor plate 16. Suitable window openings 17 are punched in the side walls. The roof portion 11 is provided with a continuous rib 18.

In the manufacture of the toy car from a length of extruded body stock, the piece of stock is cut even at the end where the car is to have no vestibule, as shown at the right in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Where the car end construction is to have a vestibule, the sides of thecar body are cut away as indicated at 20, 20 at the left of Figure 2.

The construction for the plain end of the car, as shown at the right of Figures 2 and 3 and detailed in Figures 4 and 7 to 10, utilizes a molded thermoplastic end plate 30. It is provided on the external surface with suitable configurations to make it appear like the end of a streamlined passenger railroad car. On this inner surface it has flanges indicated at 31 to fit inside the extruded car body. Near the top, it is provided with an inwardly extending socket element 32 in the proper position to receive the end of the rib 18 carried by the extrusion. This socket is open at the top as shown and a resilient sheet metal gripping element 33 is placed about the socket so as to prevent cold flow of the plastic material employed. Near the bottom of the plate 30, the molding is provided with inwardly extending brackets or posts 35 arranged in pairs as indicated. These are located just above the level of the floor plate 16. Each pair of brackets 35 receives a spring clip 37, having an opening indicated at 38 forming screw thread elements and provided with prongs 39 adapted to bite into the sides of brackets 35. These clips 37 receive screws 40 which pass up through 'holes 41 in the floor plate 16. The end plate 30 can be slid into place by aligning the socket 32 with the rib 18 and merely pushing it against the end of the car body. The screws 40 complete the assembly.

The end construction for the vestibule end of the car is illustrated generally at 50 at the left of Figures 1, 2 and 3 and in greater detail in Figures Ste 10. This end construction utilizes two plastic moldings 51, 52. The molding 51 resembles the molding 30 previously described in that 'it has the socket 32 for the gripping member 33 and the brackets 35 for the clips 37. It has a large open doorway indicated at 53 and two side elements 54, 54 arranged to simulate the side entrance and exit doors at the end of a railway car. These side elements are of the proper size to fit into the openings 20. The plastic plate 52 is secured across the door elements 54, 54 by cementing the parts together. This plastic member 52 carries an inside door simulating element indicated at 55. The moldings 51 and 52 have flanges as indicated at 56 and 57 to pass inside the car body extrusion and assist in aligning parts.

In the construction of streamlined toy trains, some of the cars will [have vestibule end constructions at both ends, while in other cars in the train, one end of the car will have the vestibule construction and the other will not be provided with it but will use the simpler construction illustrated at the right-hand end of Figures 2 and 3.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown in but one of these forms, and various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy car having an open ended extruded body provided with an interiorly disposed, roof carried rib, a floor plate having its end substantially even with the end of the body, a car end closure member having brackets which overlie the floor plate, means including screws passing through the floor plate for securing the closure plate in position and a socket receiving the end of the rib.

2. A toy car as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure member is made of thermoplastic material, and having a spring metal gripping member about the socket to squeeze the socket against the rib.

V 3. A toy car having an open ended extruded body forming side walls and a roof, the side walls at the carrend having side cut-outs which simulate doorways, a floor plate having its end substantially even with the end of the body and extending across the side cut-outs side, a car end closure member having a car end simulating plate extending across the end of the body and having a doorway through which the vestibuleis visible, side door simulating pieces occupying the doorways, and a vestibule forming wall spaced inwardly from the car end simulating plate, and means to secure the end closure member to the car body and the floor plate.

4. A toy car having an open ended unitary car body forming a car roof and car side walls and provided with a rib extending downwardly from the roof, and internal floor plate receiving channels, a floor plate in the channels, an end closure member for the car body made of thermoplastic material and provided with a socket extension to receive the end of the rib and with brackets overlying the end of the floor plate, a spring metal gripper about the socket extension to hold the thermoplastic material against cold flow, and means to secure the brackets to the floor plate.

5. A toy car having an open ended unitary car body forming a car roof and car side walls and provided with a rib extending downwardly from the roof and internal floor plate receiving channels, a floor plate in the channels, an end closure member for the car body made of thermoplastic material and provided with a socket extension to receive the end of the rib and with pairs of brackets overlying the end of the floor plate, a spring clip embracing each pair of brackets and screws passing through the floor plate and threaded into the spring clips.

6. A toy car having an open ended unitary car body forming a car roof and car side walls and provided with a rib extending downwardly from the roof and internal floor plate receiving channels, a floor plate in the channels, an end closure member for the car body made of thermoplastic material and provided with a socket extension to receive the end of the rib and with pairs of brackets overlying the end of the floor plate, a spring metal gripper about the socket extension to hold the thermoplastic rnaterial against cold flow, a spring clip embracing each pair of brackets and screws passing through the floor plate and threaded into the spring clips.

7. A toy car having a unitary car body forming a car roof and car side walls, a floor plate secured between the side walls, portions of the side walls at the end of the car being cut away to provide side doorway spaces, and an end closure member, said member having an end plate portion which shuts the end of the carb ody and having a doorway through which the vestibule is visible, door simulating side pieces which occupy the side doorway spaces and a cross plate connecting the end-s of the side pieces to provide an inner vestibule wall.

Harris July 31, 1900 Stewart June 3, 1952 

